Railroad-switch



No. 608,569. Patented Aug. 9, l8981 B. L. BONNELL.

RAILROAD SWITCH.

(Appficntion filed Apr. 9, 1898.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

WI 66 l wmm IIIIIIIIL l lllllll No. 508,569. Patented Au 9, I898. B. L. BONNELL. RAILROAD swncH.

(Application filed Apr. 9, 1898.) Model) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2;

. l UNITED-STAT sP TENT RAlLRQAD-SWITQt-l.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 608,569, dated August 9, 1898.

Application filed April 9, 1898. Serial Nb; 677,051. (man) To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, BERTRAND L. BoNNELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Donnellson, in the county of Lee and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Rail road-Switch, of which the following is a speci-' fication. I r

My invention relates to railroad-switches, and particularly to a three-throwsplit switch, the object in view being to provide a three-;

throw switch of simplified construction;

whereby the two sets of switch points or rails may be operated from a single switch-stand and by the manipulation of a single switchlever.

It is also an object of my invention to provide such means for operatingthe pairs of switch points or rails as to enable said pairs to be arranged at a suitable distance apart to obtain an easy deflection of the wheels of rolling-stock from the direct line of the main track, and thusavoid the straining of either the wheels or the switch mechanism. 1

Further objects and advantages of this invention willappearlin thefollowing description, and the'novel featuresthereof will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a switch mechanism constructed in accordance with my invention, the parts being shown in full linesset to open the main track and in dotted lines set to open the left sidingtrack. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the parts of the mechanism set to open the right siding-track. Fig. 3 is a detail view in -per-; spective of the switch-stand.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the draw;

ings.

1 designates the main-track rails, 2 the left siding-track rails, and 3 the right siding-track rails. Also 4 represents the main switchpoints, connected by a transverse switch-bar 5 for simultaneous swinging movement about their fulcrum-points, which are indicated-at 4c, and 6 indicates the auxiliary switch-points, fulcrumed at 6 and connected for simultaneous swinging movementbya transverse switch-bar 7 1 The switch-lever Sis capable of an approx1-' mately semicircular swinging movement to impart a corresponding approximately semicircular swinging movement, or movement of one hundred and eighty degrees, to the switch shaft 'or spindle 9, said switch-lever being mounted inja suitable guide 10, forming a part of the switch-stand 11. The stand may be providedwith anysuitable locking devices (not shown) for maintaining the switch-lever in either of its adjusted positions.

The switch-leveriscapable of three distinct set positions, respectively, at the limits of its movement,as shown, respectively, in full and dotted lines in Fig.1, and at a central or intermediate point or at an angle of ninety degrees from its terminal positions, as indicated in Fig.2. 'Alsothe switch shaft or spindle carries a plurality-of cranks 12 and 13, set on the quarter at an angleof ninety degrees to each other, the former a being connected by a rodl withtthefswitch-bar 5 and the latterby, a connecting-rod 15, a crank-shaft 16, and a link 17 with the switch-bar 7. The partslare so mounted that the crank 12 is capable of swinging, movement through an arc of which the base is perpendicular to the line of-movement of the switch-bar 5 and ,of ,which' thealtitudeis toward the switchpoints, whereby in'f swinging the crank-arm 12 from one' terminal position to the other it moves the switch-bar 5 through adistance equalto thealtitude' of thearc described by said arm, or equalize the radius of said are. On the otherhand, the crank-arm 13 travels in an approximately semicircular arc of which the baseis parallel with the direction of movement of the switch-bar 7,- whereby the amplitude .Of thethrowjmparted by the crank-arm 13 to the connected parts is equal to the diameter of the'arc described thereby. In

other words, while the crank-arms 12 and 13 travel in arcs of approximately equal radius the amplitude of vibration imparted by the crank-arm 12 to the connected parts is equal to the radius of its arc, while the amplitude of vibration imparted by the crank-arm 13 to theconnected parts is equal-to thediameter of the are described thereby. Furthermore, a complete vibration pr. the crank-arm 12fromone limitof-its movement to the other or from oneterminalof its,path

to the other imparts an advance and a return movement to the switch-bar 5, said advance and return movements being of equal extent, whereby in moving the crank-arm 12 from one limit of its movement to the other the switch-points -.t are moved from their set po-. sition with relation to one main-track rail to their set position with relation to the other main-track rail and then back again to their set position with relation to the first-named main-track rail, while the complete vibration of the cranlvarin 13 or the movement thereof from one limit of its movement to the other simply caused the connected parts to move the switch-points (3 from theirset position with relation to one rail to their set position with relation to the other rail. In the same way" the movement of the switch shaft or spindle through an angle of. ninety degrees will move the main switch rails or points from one set position, as indicated in full lines in Fig. 1, to the other set position, as indicated in full lines in Fig. 2,whilc auxiliary switch rails or points ti will only move one-half of the distance from one setposition tothe other. Hence in moving the switch-lever from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 2 the main switch-rails will be moved from that position shown in full lines in Fig. 1, in which the main track is open, to that position shown in Fig. 2, wherein the right siding-track formed by the rails 3 is open, while the same amount of movement of the switch-lever will cause the auxiliary switchrail U to move from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1 to an intermediate position. (Indicated in Fig. 2.) A second movement of the switch-lever from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 will return the main switch-rails i to their initial position, (shown in fulllines in Fig. 1,) but will swing the auxiliary switch-rails G to the limit of their movement to open the left sid ing-tra ch, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. From the above description it will be seen that the described relative movements of the main and auxiliary switch-rails is due to the position of the operating-cranks 12 and 13 upon the quarter; but the advantage of this arrangement, in that the auxiliary switchrails receive a motion of greater amplitude than the main switch-rails, resides in the fact that the auxiliary switch-rails may be located a considerable distance from the main switchrails, and hence at a point in the mechanism where the deflection of the auxiliary switchrails from the lines of the fixed rails may be gradual, and hence avoid straining either the rolling-stock or the switch mechanism. It has been common heretofore where both pairs or sets of switch -rails have been operated from a single stand to position the switchrails with their swinging ends approximately in the same transverse plane; but by the operating means above described I am enabled to locate the auxiliary switch-rails at any desired distance from the main switch-rails, and hence not only avoid complication in construction, but obtain the desired movements of the parts, both as to direction and amplitude, and avoid abrupt deflection of the switch-rails from the lines of the adjacent track-rails. Obviously the connecting crankshaft 16 may be made of any desired length to suit the interval required between the main and auxiliary switch-rails, and in practice I prefer to locate the free ends of the main switch-rails whereby said auxiliary switchrails do not at any point overlap the main switch-rails. In the drawings the said parts are located in closer relation proportionately than they will be in practice; but it will be niiderstood from the foregoing description that the interval between the main and auxiliary switelrrails may be set without reference to the operating mechanism, as the conthe motion efficiently to any desired point. Furthermore, it will be understood that the amplitude of movement of the auxiliary switeh-rails may be varied to suit particular conditions of use by varying the lengths of the crank-arms on the connecting crank-shaft 16; but in practice I have found it sufficient under ordinary circumstances to depend wholly upon the relative positions of the crank-arms on the operating-shaft or switchspindle to obtain the necessary movements of the parts.

In the d rawiugs the crank-shaft 16 is shown siding; but it will be understood that I do not desire tolim it myself to the arrangementthercof upon that side, as it is obvious that it may be arranged upon either side without changing its efficiency in the capacity described. I urthcrmore, it will be understood thata further advantage of the singlc-switeh-lever construction resides in the fact that a single signal-lamp is sufficient to indicate the position of the switch or to indicate whether the main track is open or not, whereas with the duplicate-switch-stand construction it is of course necessary to employ a signal-lamp for each stand.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of' the advantages of this invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a switch mechanism, the combination with separate pairs of switchrails, of an operating shaft or spindle carrying cranks, and independent means of connection between each crank and one pair of switch-rails, substantially as specified.

53. In a switch mechanism, the combination with separate pairs of switch-rails located at remote points,of an operating shaft or spindle having cranks respeetivel y connected by independent means with said pairs of switch rails, said cranks being set upon the quarter nccting crankshaft It is adapted to convey at that side of the track which is ncartheleft' IIO to give an amplitude of movement to one pair of rails in excess of theother pair, substantially as specified.

3. In a switch mechanism, the combination with separate pairs of main and auxiliary switch-rails, the latter having an amplitude of movement in excess of the former, of an operating shaft or spindle having cranks respectively connected by independent means with saidpairs of switch-rails, and capable of, movement through an arc approximating a semicircle, the diameters of the arcs described by said crank-arms being respectively perpendicular to and parallel with the direction of movement imparted to the connections of the main and auxiliary switch-rails, substantially as specified.

4. In a switch mechanism, the combination with separate pairs of switch-rails, of an op erating shaft or spindle having perpendicularly-disposed cranks each capable of movement through an arc approximating a semicircle, and connections between each crank and one pair of switch-rails, the connections for'one pair of switch-rails including a horizontallydisposed connecting crank-shaft, substantially as specified.

5. In a switch mechanism, the combination with pairs of main and auxiliary switch-rails located at remote points, the auxiliary switchrails having an amplitude of movement which exceeds that of the main switch-rails, of an operating shaft or spindle having cranks respectively connected with said pairs of switchrails, and each capable of movement through an arc approximating a semicircle, and the amplitude of movement imparted by the cranks to the respective connected switchrailsbeing of different extents, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

BERTRAND L. BONNELL.

Witnesses ANNA S. McOoNKEY, E. R. MOMURRAY. 

